Signing Ceremony
Groundbreaking Event
Taiwan Site Visits

PRESS RELEASE:

Issued by the American Institute in Taiwan (May 22, 1998)

ARTICLES:

Published by The China Post (May 26, 1998)

Under the umbrella of the United States-Asia Environmental Partnership (US-AEP), Taiwan and the United States have finalized plans for a state-of-the-art facility for livestock waste management�one of the most serious environmental problems in Asia. The Environmental Center for Livestock Waste Management (ECLWM) will be located in southern Taiwan at National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST) in close proximity to the country�s hog-raising industry. One important function of ECLWM will be to provide training on livestock waste handling to participants from Taiwan and other Asian economies. In addition, the center will serve as a working U.S. technology showcase for modern waste handling equipment.

On May 25, representatives of five U.S. universities�Illinois Institute of Technology, Iowa State University, North Carolina State University, Oregon State University, and Purdue University � signed memorandum of understanding (MOUs) with NPUST to provide ongoing support for the center. The university professors, under the leadership of Dr. Richard Vetter, developed the ECLWM�s innovative livestock waste handling system and research agenda.

More than 100 people assembled at NPUST for the center�s signing ceremony May 25. Brief remarks were given by Randy Yamada of the US-AEP Secretariat, AIT Director Darryl Johnson, Taiwan�s National Policy Advisor Paul Sun, Taiwan Council of Agriculture Vice Chairman Ling Shiang-Nung, NPUST President Liu Shan-da, Dr. Ronald Miner of Oregon State University, and Mr. Rick Jones of A.O. Smith Engineered Storage Products Company.

An array of participants have made the project possible. US-AEP catalyzed the effort, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Equipment Manufacturers Institute (Chicago, Illinois), A.O. Smith Engineered Storage Products Company (DeKalb, Illinois), Aeromix Inc. (Minneapolis, Minnesota), Chicago Industrial Pump Company (Chicago, Illinois), and the five U.S. universities, all working jointly through the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT). NPUST is providing the necessary personnel, land, and housing to operate and maintain the center, while U.S. equipment manufacturers will donate equipment and services for the project. The ECLWM will upgrade technologies used in Asia for livestock waste management and provide sales opportunities for U.S. companies.

The center will be in operation by December 31, 1998, and will initially focus on swine waste handling, since this is Taiwan�s most pressing livestock waste issue. In future years, however, the project will expand to cover poultry and cattle waste systems.

Press Release
Issued by the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), May 22, 1998.

Article
Published by The China Post, May 26, 1998.

Photographs
Taken at the MOU signing ceremony, the ground-breaking event, and Taiwan site visits (May 25-27, 1998).